[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36115-36116]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12260]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Census Coverage Measurement Person Interview and Person Interview 
Reinterview Operations

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 22, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Magdalena Ramos, U.S. Census Bureau, Building 2, 
Room 2126, Washington, DC 20233-9200, 301-763-4295.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    In preparation for the 2010 Census, the U.S. Census Bureau will 
conduct a Census Coverage Measurement (CCM) test as part of the 2006 
Census Test. The purpose of the 2006 CCM test is not to evaluate the 
coverage of the 2006 Census Test per se, but rather to test ways of 
improving previous coverage measurement methods. In particular, the 
focus of the 2006 CCM test is to test improved matching operations and 
data collection efforts designed to obtain more accurate information 
about where a person should have been enumerated according to our 
residence rules.
    This focus is motivated by: (1) Problems encountered with coverage 
measurement in 2000 in determining a person's residence (relative to 
our residence rules), (2) the significant number of duplicate 
enumerations in Census 2000, and (3) expanded goals for coverage 
measurement in 2010. The latter refers to our objective of producing-
for the first time--separate estimates of coverage error components-
omissions (missed persons) and erroneous inclusions (including 
duplicates). The data collection and matching methodologies for 
previous coverage measurement programs were designed only to measure 
net coverage error, which reflects the difference between omissions and 
erroneous inclusions (see Definition of Terms). In order to produce 
separate estimates of these coverage error components, we need to 
develop and test changes to our data collection and matching methods. 
In particular, the CCM efforts will focus on ways to obtain better 
information about addresses where people should have, and could have, 
been enumerated during the census.
    An additional objective for the 2006 Census Test is to determine if 
we can conduct coverage measurement interviews before all census data 
collection is complete, and do so without contaminating the census and 
adversely affecting coverage measurement. This has a minuscule effect 
on the census, but a more serious effect on coverage measurement. There 
are several operational and data quality advantages of conducting 
coverage measurement interviews as close to census day as possible, but 
we don't want to do this if it will seriously affect measurement of 
coverage error.

II. Method of Collection

    The 2006 CCM operations will use a sample of approximately 5,000 
housing units in selected census tracts in Travis County, Texas; and 
500 housing units on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota. 
The first operation of the CCM will be the Person Interview (PI) 
operation. After data collected from the CCM PI is matched to data 
collected by the 2006 Census Test, certain cases will be sent for 
another CCM interview called the Person Followup Interview. A separate 
Federal Register Notice will be issued later for that operation.
    The CCM PI operation will collect the information listed below only 
for persons in housing units. We are not studying coverage measurement 
for other types of living quarters (for example, group quarters) in the 
2006 Census Test.
    1. Census Day (April 1, 2006) residence (relative to our residence 
rules).

[[Page 36116]]

    2. Interview Day residence (i.e., as of the day of the CCM 
interview).
    3. Census Day address information for people who moved to the 
sample address since Census Day, and other addresses where a person 
might have been counted on Census Day.
    4. Other information to help us determine where a person should 
have been counted as of Census Day (relative to our residence rules). 
For example, enumerators will probe for persons who might have been 
left off the household roster; ask additional questions about persons 
who moved from another address on Census Day to the sample address; 
collect additional information for persons with multiple addresses; and 
collect information on the addresses of other potential residences for 
household members.
    5. Demographic information for each person in the household on 
Interview Day or Census Day, including name, date of birth, sex, race, 
ethnicity, and relationship.
    As part of the CCM, we also will conduct a quality control 
operation--PI Reinterview. For this operation a sample of the CCM PI 
cases will be selected for a reinterview. This sample consists of 
approximately 500 housing units in Travis County, Texas; and 50 housing 
units on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota. The purpose of 
the reinterview is to determine if the source of the CCM PI data (e.g., 
a household member; a specific proxy respondent) can be confirmed. If 
not, then all cases completed by the original enumerator will be 
considered invalid, and reassigned for rework by a different 
enumerator.
    The CCM PI and PI Reinterview operations will occur from July 3, 
2006 to October 6, 2006. Data collected as a result of these interviews 
will be processed at our headquarters in Washington, DC.

Definition of Terms

    Alternate Addresses--These are respondent provided addresses 
obtained during the CCM PI for other places where household members may 
have been counted on Census Day.
    Components of Coverage Error--The two components of census coverage 
error are census omissions (missed persons) and erroneous inclusions. 
The latter includes duplicates, and persons who should not have been 
enumerated at a particular address (per our residence rules).
    Net Coverage Error--Reflects the difference between omissions and 
erroneous inclusions. A positive net error indicates an undercount, 
while a negative net error indicates an overcount.
    For more information about Census 2000 operations and coverage 
measurement efforts, please visit the following page of the Census 
Bureau's Web site: http://www.census.gov/dmd/www/refroom.html.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-xxxx.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,050.
    Estimated Times Per Response: 20 Minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,017.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Public: There is no cost to the 
respondents except their time to respond.
    Respondent Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 of the United States Code, Sections 141 
and 193.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: June 16, 2005.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-12260 Filed 6-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P